The Love of a Lifetime
by Car45
Summary: This story looks at moments in the romance of Ben and Gwen over the years. Inspired by several pics on my DA favorites.
1. Undenyable

Ben sat down at the table next to Gwen, his pride a little wounded from his slip on the dance floor.

He looked at his dance partner, now bouncing all over the room looking for a new partner.

"I've never seen anyone with so much energy." He said to her.

"Yeah, I wonder if that's how we make grandpa feel."

"Maybe, and you can't tell me that mud was an accident. That wasn't mud it was part of her."

"Oh yeah," she agreed. "She's a prankster. Pranks aside, you did great out there. I'm proud."

"Thanks, I had a great teacher."

She smiled, "Thank you Ben." She's found that complements from him really felt good.

Just then Ben stood up and extended his hand to Gwen."So how about a dance."

She took his hand and stood. "It would be my pleasure." With that they walked out to the dance floor.

They danced together in perfect sync, talking and laughing the whole time. Max looked on with a smile on his face, happy to see his grand-kids just enjoying each others company.

He thought back to earlier when he'd caught them in their dancing lessons. He hadn't interrupted to embarrass them. As sweet as the moment was, he wasn't sure if he should let it go where it seamed to be going. He'd have to give that some thought. What should he do if...

After their second dance together ended Ben whispers to Gwen, "Let's step out for some fresh air."

"Sounds good to me."

The two walked a short distance from the reception to a secluded area. They were in sight of the gazebo where the fight early that day had happened; on the edge of the lake that cannonbolt had jumped into.

They walked among the trees quietly at first. Gwen leaned against one of the trees, "It's really nice out here tonight."

"Yeah, it is." He said turning to her. After a pause he added. "Thanks for teaching me to dance. It's kind of fun once you know how."

"You're welcome..." She cut her own thought short then spoke again. "We really do make a great team. In a fight or a dance."

"Yeah, I guess we do." He seamed unsure of himself for a moment. "You know I really don't mean it when I call you things like Dweeb or Doofus, right? I mean maybe I did but not really much anymore."

He was really close now. It made her both uncomfortable and excited somehow. "Ha, yeah I think I know what you mean. Um, same here."

He looked at her in a way that she couldn't describe. She looked back in anticipation. He asked her.

"Gwen,"

"Yeah."

"When we were, I mean when I was, learning to dance in the rustbucket...Um, well I'm sorry that I pushed you away when Grandpa walked in on us."

She understood. "Were you feeling kind of weird?"

"Heh, yeah. Um, were you?"

She noticed they seamed to be getting closer. She answered. "Maybe a little, but it was nice."

He looked at her in the eye. She was used to silly Ben, hyper Ben, playful Ben and even annoying Ben; but serious, sincere Ben...looking right into her eyes like that...It made her feel..something. She wasn't sure what. He asked.

"Gwen, if Grandpa hadn't walked in on us...what..what do you think would have happened?"

She'd also thought a lot about that since it happened, and somehow it felt good to know that he had to.

She had been angry about being shoved away like that but she understood why: and she was pretty sure that it was the answer to Ben's question.

"Ben, I don't know, we were really focused on each other." _Kind of like right now_ , she realized.

Just like when they fought together it was like they were thinking the same thing. As they came closer to each other Gwen said. "Maybe something like this." Then their lips met. It was a simple kiss but conveyed so much; a connection, a partnership, caring, and feelings long denied.

When they ended the kiss Gwen, her heart pounding, said, "I think it might have been something like that."

"I think so to." He said.

Her mind was going in all directions, her heart in only one. As she played with the collar on his tux she said. "I...don't know if we should be doing this Ben."

"Do you want to?"

Did she?...She found she couldn't deny the answer. "Yes Ben, I do."

"I do to. So we make it work. We may have to keep it under wraps for a while." Gwen interrupted, "Maybe a long time Ben."

"As long as it had to be, as long as we're together."

Gwen smiled at him. "We will be. But I think we'd better get back inside before anyone comes looking for us."

"Always the voice of reason. Okay lets go, but uh, we probably shouldn't be holding hands."

With a blush she let go of his hand that she hadn't even realized she had been holding and they went back to rejoin the party.


	2. Red Handed

The summer road trip had become a tradition for Ben, Gwen and Max. They always arranged to meet with some friends they had made on that first trip. It was fun to see Eddy, Gatorboy, Porcupine, and of course Cooper again. Max also took the opportunity to spend time with old friends along the way.

And now they were coming up on the highlight of this summer; Joel and Camille's five year anniversary. Most of the rest of the family would meet them there.

As the got out of the rustbucket they were met by Joel, Camille and Lucy. Lucy ran to then first wrapping her arms around Gwen. "Gwen! It's so great to see you again."

Gwen returned the hug. "Great to see you to Lucy. How have you been?"

"Doing fine." She then turned to Ben. "Gwen, I thought you were bringing your short dweeby cousin. Who is this tall, handsome boy?"

Gwen felt a twinge of jealousy for a moment. "Lucy, you know very well that's Ben. Don't make his ego any bigger than it already is."

She laughed, "I know." She threw her arms around Ben. "Oh and muscles to. We're going to have to have another dance latter." She turned to Gwen again. "Good thing we're only cousins by marriage huh Gwen." Gwen responded with a slight smile. Lucy gave her a strange look, just for a moment, then said. "Well, gotta go. I'll see you guys later." And with that she bounced off toward the house.

A little later, after some time with friends and family, the forbidden lovers were with Max in the rustbucket.

Max looked at his watch. "Kids, I'm going to have to go out for a while. I...have to meet someone, back soon." With that Max left.

"That was kind of abrupt." Ben said.

"Yeah," Gwen agreed. "Hopefully he just wants to talk over old times with Joel and some of the other plumbers."

Ben turned to her. "What ever it is, it gives us some time alone."

Gwen smiled. "So it does. And I've been in need of a little attention since we got here. Especially after the attention you got from Lucy."

Ben leaned in toward her ready to play at this romantic version of their old bickering. "And you didn't get plenty from Cooper?"

Gwen came back at him with feigned indignant "Well maybe I should go find him now. After all I did kind of snub him...Maybe I should go offer an apology."

Ben walked toward her. "Oh no you don't."

"Well give me something better to do then, Ben."

He put his arms around her, "How about this." And with that he puller her close to him and kissed her.

"Nice," she said. "But I'm going to need more convening than that."

"I'll do my best." he said then kissed her again; This time more slowly, more deeply. She returned the kiss.

From there he moved to her neck and collar, kissing her gently, repeatedly.

She melted into it, putting her arms around him. "Don't be selfish Ben, let me have some." She brought her lips to his as each savored the moment. Their lips separated, only momentarily before another kiss...and another...and another.

He had backed her into the wall now and, as she wrapped one leg around him, his hand came down to her rear to hold her up. Soon her other leg was also warping around him, and he was supporting her with both hands. She found it strangely exciting to be held up in his strong arms while they dueled for the next kiss, the next nibble. It seamed that even their love making would have an element of competition to it. _If that was the case_ , she thought to herself, _she couldn't wait for the day when they could go for the gold._

They continued to revel in each others affections when they heard...

"Well looky there."

The cousins turned to see Lucy standing in the rustbucket. They had been so engrossed in each other that they hadn't even heard the door open. They knew they were caught.

"Lucy," Gwen broke the silence. "Don't you know how to knock."

"Didn't think I'd need to." She answered.

Ben and Gwen untangled themselves as Ben asked. "Alright, so you know." He hesitated for a second. "Are you going to tell everyone or can we count on you to keep a secret?"

Lucy shook her head. "You two think you have a secret?"

Gwen was starting to get angry. "So what? You're going to tell?...FINE, so what do you want to keep it secret?"

The Lenopan girl looked at them in amusement. "You guys really think you have a secret to keep?"

The two young lovers didn't like the sound of this. Their expressions only further amused their alien cousin. "What do you mean?" Ben asked.

"You guys aren't fooling anyone. Everyone sees it, they're just waiting for you to come out in the open about it."

They looked into each others green eyes for a moment then back at Lucy. "And no one has a problem with it?" Ban asked.

"Not anymore. I think your dads did at first when they figured it out but then with their cousin married to an alien and their dad getting pretty friendly with another, well..."

Ben and Gwen were stunned. They had expected that they would have to deal with shock and disapproval, if not scorn, when, someday they came out in the open about their love but now it was they who had to process a sudden revelation.

"If I were you I'd just stop playing 'secret lovers' and just be yourselves. Besides, you don't want to make some big announcement and steel the spotlight from Max and Xylene tonight."

"Spotlight?" Gwen asked.

Lucy just smiled and said. "Well I'll let you two get back to...what ever you want to do; but I'd listen for the door next time." and with that she left the lovers to themselves.

"This could turn out to be an interesting night." Ben said. Gwen nodded then Ben continued. "Now where were we?"

Gwen smiled as she but her arms around Bens neck and he pulled her to him. "I think we were about here." She said as she reached up to kiss him, lifting one foot behind her as they continued to bask in their love.


End file.
